Introduction
Throughout the history, mental health disorders have been conceptualized in many ways- for some it was related to the presence of something supernatural, or caused by an imbalance in the bodily fluid or that it is linked to the influence of western culture and that it exists only in the minds of people. These notions and ideas still exists in the 21st century.
Talking about the treatment options, significant changes have noted here as well. From trephination which is a process of removing a small part of the skull to admitting patients into mental asylums often to remove them from the view of families and communities, patients with mental health disorders have been treated insensitively till the arrival of psychotropic medications. With the introduction of psychotropic medications, invasive techniques implemented in institutions, such as lobotomies were phased out, and rehabilitative interventions-designed to prepare patients for life in the community-were actively phased in, and increasingly implemented in community-settings (Wallace et al., 1980). The introduction of psychotropic medications and other community-based interventions further supported the argument to empty inpatient wards, relieve people from long-term hospitalization, and “reintegrate” people back into the community through deinstitutionalization.
With the advancement of science and technology, new treatment options are entering the market such as Neurofeedback, Virtual Reality Therapy and DeepTMS. Deep transcranial magnetic stimulation, or Deep TMS™, is a unique, noninvasive treatment process developed by Brains Way that helps alleviate symptoms related to mental health conditions. Currently, Brains Way is FDA-cleared to treat Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) and Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD). During the Deep TMS process, an electromagnetic field is activated by Brains Way’s patented H-Coil technology, which is held inside a helmet apparatus fitted over the patient’s head. The helmet safely sends out magnetic pulses that are able to directly reach deeper, broader brain structures, successfully influencing their neural activity.
Limitations of Treatment with Psychotropic Medications
Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a prevalent and disabling condition, and many patients do not respond to available treatments. By 2030, there will likely be over 1.4 billion individuals that are over the age of 60, many of whom will suffer from late-life depression. An evolving list of pharmacological interventions has been the primary treatment tool for MDD for over 50 years. Yet, about 30% of patients with MDD do not respond well to pharmacotherapy, including adults with late-life depression.
Psychotropic drugs have been playing an increasing role in the treatment of mental disorders for over half a century; they have offered substantial relief from some debilitating symptoms like excessive mood fluctuations, etc. These drugs influence certain brain chemicals and alter gene expression and protein synthesis; however, it does not lead to lasting positive psychological changes as the symptoms tend to return when medications are stopped and recur even as patients continue to take complex regimens of antidepressants, antipsychotics, mood stabilizers, anxiolytics, and the like.
Why DeepTMS works better?
Deep TMS treatment for depression works by utilizing a magnetic field that manages to directly reach wider and deeper brain regions, regulating the neural activity of brain structures related to major depressive disorder – specifically the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC). As a non-invasive procedure, Deep TMS is a well-tolerated treatment that does not cause any adverse or long-lasting side effects. It does not require a significant recovery period, and the 20-min treatment can easily be integrated into each patient’s day-to-day schedule. An accelerated treatment option, called SWIFT™ Deep TMS, is also FDA-cleared, shortening the acute treatment phase from 4 weeks to 6 days and individual treatment sessions to 10-min.
The advantage of BrainsWay’s non-invasive Deep TMS technology lies its ability to reach the brain’s deeper brain structures directly helps prevent a decrease in the magnetic field’s intensity. This helps maintain the field’s effectiveness without needing to increase the intensity to a level that risks causing undesirable side effects.
Conclusion
You still have options if antidepressants aren't giving you the relief you were hoping for. Many people are regaining their quality of life and making progress toward recovery thanks to cutting-edge therapies like Deep TMS that have been made possible by advances in neuroscience.